For a while now, I've been flirting with the idea of shifting toward a meatless diet. Converting my diet for weight-loss is one of the biggest reasons! I notice many people opt for vegetarianism for health reasons. Others skip meat for religious purposes. I've even heard that the preference can help the environment. Whatever the case may be, it has become a full-blown movement. The plant-based industry saw a $3.3 billion in sales in 2018 alone. However, adopting a plant-based diet, or a vegan diet in particular both have major health benefits. But which one is better? Here are the basics.
Vegan Diet
We all by now have a vegan friend or know someone vegan who has either jumped on the bandwagon or has adopted the diet for health reasons, animal welfare or maybe just to improve the environment. We know this diet is not so much of a new trend. In fact, the term has an even longer history going back to Donald Watson who coined the term "Vegan" in 1944.
By definition, vegan is a plant-based diet that excludes the use of any animal products, at all! People who choose a vegan lifestyle may go as far as avoiding gelatin, honey and processed foods. This means abstaining from clothing, toiletries and beauty products that contain animal substances. So for strict vegans, wearing fur, wool and leather or anything tested on animals is out of the question.
Plant-Based Diet
While there is some confusion on the definition of plant-based diet, it is generally derived from plant-based foods with a little more leniency. Some argue that the diet can include a little more animal-based products as opposed to vegans, but it all boils down to choosing mostly whole foods, like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and nuts.
In an article that I read in the US News, the writer quotes a vegan lifestyle coach from "The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook" who says that to truly be plant-based, a diet must be "free of any animal products, including meat, eggs and dairy. 'Plant-based' usually refers to an animal-free diet, without the lifestyle part."
Others argue that you can eat anything in moderation as long as the plant-based foods are made a priority. There's been people known to add fish or other animal protein to their plant-based diets.
Which is Better?
When talking about Plant-based Diets vs. Vegan Diets, they are essentially one and the same, according to Daryl Gioffre, celebrity nutritionist. He says, "The distinction comes in that all vegan diets are plant-based diets, but not all plant-based diets are vegan. Vegan is the ultimate plant-based diet."
According to my research, both diets attribute to weight-loss, and there are many health benefits. Studies have shown that compared with meat eaters, people who are vegetarians for more than 5 years were 24 percent less likely to die of Coronary Heart Disease. Still occasional meat eaters are 20 percent less likely to die of the disease. And recently in 2018, studies have shown that vegetarians are 40 % less likely to die from Cardiovascular Disease and some have even shown a reversal in the disease - pretty impressive!
Additionally, other studies show the benefits of following a diet that's "free from animal products" can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and kidney disease as well.
So here are the facts. According to the US News 2020 Best Rankings, the plant-based approach, including fish and some lean meat, was most preferred. The vegan diet came in as 17th overall and ninth out of "12 diets in the plant-based diet category.
Does this mean the plant-based is better? It all depends on how you make the diet work for you. There could be health risks involved with the vegan diet. Doctor's prefer plant-based diets over vegan because vegan has less flexibility. And you have to make sure that you are getting the nutrients that aren't offered from the plant world such as B12 and so on. Also, the vegan diet sometimes includes foods like meat-free meats and dairy-free cheeses, which fall in the area of less healthy foods. Additionally, vegan diet could cause neurological disorders to develop in otherwise healthy people.
Both diets are seemingly effective in creating a healthier lifestyle. Whichever diet you choose, be sure to get help from a doctor or registered dietitian to ensure that you are making the right choice for your nutritional needs. Good luck!
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